18 killed as Indian train collides with goods train

HYDERABAD: Atleast 18 persons, including two children and four women, were killed when the Bangalore-bound Hampi Express rammed into a stationary goods train at Penukonda station in Anantapur district at 3.15 a.m., on Tuesday morning.

Soon after the impact the first bogie with 46 passengers caught fire, while the second, third and fourth bogies derailed. The death toll is likely to increase further as several passengers are trapped inside the ill-fated bogies and are feared to have been bunt alive.

While 14 bodies were received at the Government Hospital in Penukonda, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Penukonda), Kolar Krishna said he was able to see atleast half-a-dozen bodies inside.

"We are unable to gain access inside the train and need to get equipment to cut steel and get in," he told The Hindu, even as an Accident Relief Special came in to Penukonda with gas-cutters and other equipment aboard. Preliminary reports seemed to suggest that the Hampi Express mistook a signal. Soon after information about the accident was received at the district headquarters town, the revenue machinery swung into action. Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Anantapur Range), Charu Sinha and Superintendent-Anantapur Shah Nawaz Qasim rushed to the spot.

Initially, confusion appeared to reign with the darkness compounding the already 'manic' situation and only when spotlights were positioned could rescue operations start. Within hours, Andhra Pradesh N. Raghuveera Reddy and S. Sailajanath besides Congress MP K. Chiranjeevi reached the place.The injured have been admitted to nearby hospitals, including Hindupur. The fire was soon brought under control and rescue and relief operations were going on, Mr. Raghuveera Reddy

Officials were not willing to hazard a guess as to the cause of the accident, but Mr. Reddy said it was quite likely that the driver of the Hampi Express mistook the signal that was originally for another train and continued onward, colliding with the stationary goods train